$400 Dollar Budget gaming PC

[Flying Sq]

I run a small local custom PC business, and I tend to try and get a second opinion on all of my builds, what do you guys think of this one, it's made for a customer who just wants to drive swap into a new computer. That means AMD is out of the question since he is running on an Intel.

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171028

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116091 if anyone knows the difference between the Core 2 Duo besides price, (stepping maybe?) and the Pentium, let me know.

RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227362

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187052

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147068

MoBo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131347R

The monitor he is using is a 1024x768, and he probably won't be upgrading for awhile, and it's an x86 build.

 

[dirtmountain]

This case may be a bit cheaper since it has free shipping (cases usually cost $15 shipped to me). It comes with 2 - 120mm fans instead of 1-80mm.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147113
review of the case.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/621

i'm not a fan of that power supply, but can't find anything at the same price.

 

[orangejulius]

i would have to say that if this is what you want then it is fine. However, the powersupply watt is low for a video card to be running, i'm not sure if that video card has a external power requirement, like most new ones they require a plug in from the psu directly.

the ram is a bit overkill but doesn't matter.
cpu i would go for core 2 duo, they are much cheaper than they used to be and the difference between it and a pentium is quite a big leap of performance.

the gpu is... well, could be better, especially witht he great deals out now on the 8 and 9 series nvidia cards

the case doesn't matter so much unless your hardcore about cooling your system down

the mobo is probably good i have a gigabyte cheap one and it runs flawlessly too

a 1024x768 is not a real monitor size but a resolution..

i'd have to say all you need now is a operating system, i'd say grab a xp home system builders disk off newegg, you don't need to spend the extra money on a case and packet lol

here's my version of your budget gaming pc..

psu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817152028 40 after rebate
cpu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115206 120
ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227269 36 after rebate
gpu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130339 115 after rebate
case - anything you want is probably fine for this, i would pick..
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119115 40
mobo - the one you picked out is good
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131347R 68

total cost: 419 $ after rebates
probably free shipping?
i know newegg is good about that usually.

thats my suggestions.

 

[not moose]

COOLER MASTER Centurion 541 - $44.99
CORSAIR 400CX - $59.99
Intel Pentium E5200 - $69.99
GIGABYTE GA-G41M-ES2L - $64.99
G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 800 - $47.99
EVGA 9800 GTX+ - $129.99

Current total: $417.94 | After rebates: 392.94

The E6300/E5200 are Core 2 Duo. Please don't ask why its called Pentium, I don't know. The build above is more bang for the buck, there is little difference between the E6300 and E5200 so naturally you should go for the cheaper one.

You want a quality power supply and corsair has always beens good. The case I chose has more airflow, and supports the mATX mobo I picked out. The board supports DDR2 800 so I went for some G.SKILL.

If you want to drop the price below $400 without rebates get this 4850, using the promo code you get a quality video card for $80 with rebates.

 

[Flying Sq]

I swapped the case, out, and I wasn't sure if the 9800+ would be a tad overkill, but I tend to build computers so they won't fade after a year or two, but I was thinking of putting an 8600 in it, but i'm open to ATI, I was thinking about a 4850, but you get a nice performance boost in the 9800+. Like I said in my first post though, it's straight insert of a HDD from his old computer, I don't have to worry about an OS, and i'm pretty set on XP discs. I'm not dropping the quantity of the RAM though, and the 1066 from what i've seen has a nice boost over 800, plus, it's the same price of the 1066.

I strayed from the Core 2 Duo, I originally had the 3.06 on the build, then the 2.8, but after seeing a 40 dollar price difference between the pentium and the core 2 duo, I threw it in there to free up room for a 9800+. Build right now sits at the edge of 395, i'd love to trim here and there down to 370, if you guys have any suggestions, I figure a cheaper GPU would be the solution, but the Core 2 Duo would counteract it.

 

[not moose]

Take a look at my build, and if you are still open to ATI get the 4850 I posted instead of the 9800 GTX+ becasue they have similar performance.

 

[Flying Sq]

I'm looking at it, I think i'm going to either have to lower cost about 20-30 bucks, or float by on freeshipping. I might have solidified the PC, but I still don't know if I should got lower on the GPU, I could probably get away with an 8600.

Changes:
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182075

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125238

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147113

I pretty much took some ideas from each post, i'm still thinking a lower GPU would fit perfectly though. On 1024x768, i've seen a 9800+ hit 60 frames with Crysis cranked and AA at 16xSS with 4 gigs 1066. The customer will probably play CS:S, or any of the CODS, including the new one, with almost no HD videoplay back, and Internet Browsing.

 

[not moose]

COOLER MASTER ELITE 335 - $49.99
CORSAIR 400CX - $59.99
Intel Pentium E5200 - $69.99
GIGABYTE GA-G41M-ES2L - $64.99
G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 800 - $47.99
SAPPHIRE 4850 - $109.99

Current total: $402.94 | After rebates: 377.94

Every item now has free shipping, use promo code VGA6615 if you're buying today or tomorrow and get $15 off the video card bringing your total before rebates down to $387.94

 

[dirtmountain]

The E6300 CPU is the only Pent duo core and E7200-E7500 that Intel has activated virtualization on for Windows7, i'd keep it. A HD4850 would run about the same speed as the 9800+GTX and only require one 6 pin
with the 10% off promo code "VGA661" it drops the price of the GPU to about $90 or $80 after rebate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161259

 

[orangejulius]

MSI Radeon 4850 - $90 after rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16814127414

Rainbow 6 Vegas 2 - FREE bundled game with video card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16800127001

Rosewill comp. case - $30 after rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147068

Core2duo E 7400 @ 2.88ghz - $120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16819115206

OCZ 4gb - $36
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227269

Gigabyte mobo - $65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128388

HEC 585w power supply - $35
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817339012


GRAND TOTAL - $376


(or)

if you use the E5200 Processor.. - $70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072

GRAND TOTAL - $326

a cheap gaming computer none the less.

oh and now it is free shipping after i changed the items around a little.